Milk Protein & Casein

Casein refers to a family of proteins that are commonly found in the milk of mammals. It’s the primary protein in milk and dairy products, and is often used as a dietary and nutritional supplement, particularly by weightlifters and serious trainers.

Casein is a comparatively slow-releasing protein; compared to other popular proteins such as whey protein, it takes longer for your body to break it down during digestion, and it releases into your body more slowly. This makes it an ideal protein supplement any time you’re expecting a long gap between meals, such as before bedtime.

The main difference between whey protein and casein, or milk protein, is that whey protein is much faster-releasing than casein. Because of this, whey protein is an ideal protein source for taking just after your workouts to give your body a quick hit of protein nutrition, whereas milk protein is generally better for periods where you have gaps between meals, such as during your working day, or before bedtime.

Like all forms of nutritional protein, milk proteins such as casein are essential to a range of bodily functions, including contributing to maintenance, repair and growth in muscle mass. The big difference is in how your body processes milk protein compared to other proteins, and the unique benefits this brings when planning your nutritional intake.

You can get protein from a wide variety of food sources, and the choices get bigger and better every single day. The kind of protein that’s best for you depends on your dietary intake. For example, milk protein isn’t exactly great if you’re on a vegan diet, or if you’re lactose intolerant. However, it is true that milk and dairy-based foods are rich in protein, including casein, and are an excellent source of protein provided they suit your dietary requirements.

The best way to explain how milk protein or casein works is to compare it to another protein, such as whey protein. Both casein and whey protein are byproducts of dairy production processes, but whey protein is absorbed and processed by your body very quickly, while casein takes longer for your body to break down, slowing the digestion process, which means that rather than releasing into your body immediately, it provides a steady stream of protein nutrition for a much longer period.

Just like whey protein, milk protein or casein is a byproduct of typical dairy production processes, schas cheesemaking. You know the nursery rhyme about Little Miss Muffet eating her curds and whey? Well, whey is the liquid leftover during cheesemaking, and curds are solids. These solids are then dried out and processed into a powder which provides an excellent source of protein.

Milk protein or casein is no different than any other nutritional protein supplement, such as whey protein or plant-based protein, so of course it’s fine to consume every day. Just remember that it’s intended to be used as part of a healthy, varied diet and an active lifestyle, and it’s a slow-releasing protein, so it’s not ideal for use as a post-workout shake, when your body needs a quick protein hit.